Tuesday, January 21, 2025

After the Covid-19 lockdown, I experienced a lot of anxiety that something terrible would happen to my family members. Whenever anyone left the house, I fantasized about all of the things that could go wrong—car crashes, catching the virus, bombs dropping from the sky…. 

Most of my fears were highly illogical, but they left me trapped, unable to focus on anything else. I wanted to move on, but fear repeatedly took over. 

It is so easy to become trapped in our old habits and thought cycles. Past mistakes, unhealthy choices, and overpowering emotions can limit our ability to move forward into the good and beautiful plan that God has for us. 

But God doesn’t want us to stay stuck in our old way of life. 

Ephesians 4:24 
Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

God has a new nature for his children, a fresh identity that enables us to show the world his love and faithfulness. He wants to transform us into people who aren’t captive to our old ways of life. 

Transformation isn’t easy, though. If we want to experience our new nature, we need to say goodbye to the old one, putting it down, so we can pick up the new. This doesn’t mean denying that our past ever existed. Instead, it is a choice to let God define our future. It requires us to change our perspective, viewing our lives through God’s eyes. 

Ecclesiastes 3:11
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

When I became anxious, my best strategy was to change my perspective. Worrying about my family members didn’t do anything to keep them safe. God was the only person who could take care of them. Person by person, I would pray, “God, I give them to you, I give them to you, I give them to you,” over and over, until I felt his peace. 

In the same way, God wants us to trust him with our pasts. His hands are open, ready to receive the messy, broken, and twisted things we have done and transform them into something beautiful. Only he can free us from the voices of anxiety, shame, and overwhelm and lead us into our new life. 

Questions:
Do you have a habit, emotion, or thought that keeps you from moving forward? What is God calling you to entrust to him?   

Next Steps:
If you identify something that is distracting you from God’s plan, pray and tell God that you are giving it to him. Repeat that same prayer every time you’re struggling, slowly teaching yourself to trust God. 

Consider joining a Group! Share your struggles with the people in your life, letting them encourage you and hold you accountable.

21 Days of Prayer
Day 16—Closeness  

Today’s Prayer Focus: To Come Close to God (James 4:8) 

Today’s Prayer: 
Dear God, you have promised if I draw near to you, you will draw near to me. I need more of your strength and presence today. I am drawing near to you through prayer, worship, and your Word. I open my heart to you and ask you to be near to me, growing me to be more like you. Amen. 

Series Theme Verse:
Romans 12:2
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 

This post was written by Lydia Snyder, a South attendee, and a regular contributor to the LivingItOut.